Former Pirate Involved in S.A. Rhubarb

by cocktailsfor2 on Dec 13, 2010 3:02 PM EST

Our boy Lastings Milledge is playing in South America, and it seems that he took umbrage at being hit by a pitch, but kindasorta brought it on hisself...

EDITED TO ADD: Thanks to ElDuce in the comments below, we now have the events in thew order in which they occur.

Lastings' RBI double HERE. At the very end, on the replay, you'll see Edge making the "hand grenade" gesture referred to in Rubin's tweet. Note also the reflection of the guy taping it in the middle of the screen. This video is titled "Lestings [sic] Milledge Granada"

His next AB, which leads to the (kindasorta) donnybrook is HERE. This one is titled "Justin Milledge [sic] y oscar salazar"

(It appears people in S.A. don't spell any better than some of our posters...)

According to Adam Rubin:

AdamRubinESPN Lastings Milledge involved in big team fight in winter ball. Venezuelan friend says: Heated game. After he doubled in 4th, he made like ...
...he was throwing grenade to his dugout. Other team didn't like-hit him in 7th. Then he took 2B. Other team went after him. BOOM-Big Fight

ETA: NBC Sports has a little blurb, and another angle (with music!) of the brawl with more of the aftermath (it starts all over again at about the 1:55 mark).

From my POV, Edge was jawing, but certainly didn't start the actual fight until after he gets shoved.

Oh, Edge - why, why, why? You weren't like that when you were here ("here" meaning Pittsburgh. Not Chicago. Wiseacres.)...

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of the managing editor (Charlie) or SB Nation. FanPosts are written by Bucs Dugout readers.

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sure sounds similar

to the Nyjer Morgan HBP episode

by BurgherKing on Dec 13, 2010 3:08 PM EST reply actions

minus flying forearm of course

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by WVPiratesfan on Dec 13, 2010 3:27 PM EST up reply actions

The grenade thing seems pretty minor. Just a quick little gesture. The Texas Rangers did “The Claw” just about every time they got on base this year. Here’s video of Milledge’s double the previous AB:
http://youtu.be/2iCNHD2lU1A

The reason they hit him might have more to do with the fact that he hit RBI doubles in back to back ABs before that. If he was Venezuelan I doubt anyone would have cared. They tend to react differently when it’s an American player.

by ElDuce on Dec 13, 2010 3:27 PM EST reply actions

After watching the video I agree that the gesture seemed very minor. Maybe stealing 2B in a 5-0 game upset the other team but they really instigated the fight. Unfortunately, though, this will likely cost Milledge $ and maybe a major league contract. I would like to see us sign him to a NRI deal and give him some time in Indy to work on his RF defense and see if he can start driving the ball again.

by TNbucs on Dec 13, 2010 5:48 PM EST up reply actions

Thanks, ElDuce -

I’ve edited the post to reflect the events in order.

Gracias.

And yes, I agree that is was pretty freakin’ minor… almost to the point of being unnoticeable.

Free your ass and your mind will follow.

by cocktailsfor2 on Dec 13, 2010 6:32 PM EST up reply actions

If you check the box score...

…you’ll notice that the other team started it by hitting Milledge with a pitch in the second. His gesture was a response to that, the second HBP was a response to his gesture, the steal was a response to the second HBP, and then the Tiburones’ middle infielders attacked him.

Seems like he’s getting a raw deal in the media coverage of the incident.

by Vlad on Dec 14, 2010 10:17 AM EST up reply actions

Hope he likes playing in Triple-A next year.

by Adam Reynolds on Dec 13, 2010 3:36 PM EST via mobile reply actions

Poor Lastings!

by BigB2323 on Dec 13, 2010 3:36 PM EST reply actions

the web page with the video

calls him Justin Milledge

by BurgherKing on Dec 13, 2010 4:15 PM EST reply actions

Yeah, I noticed that.

Heh. What can ya do?

Free your ass and your mind will follow.

by cocktailsfor2 on Dec 13, 2010 6:07 PM EST up reply actions

Lastings ...

may end up at Indy next year.

And it also may be the best thing for his career.

Otherwise, he should go to Japan.

But he and his agent obviously misjudged the market for his services.

by Bernie6 on Dec 13, 2010 4:53 PM EST reply actions

he may be at Indy

he hustled like a HS’er…refreshing to see…but his baseball instincts and knowledge were that of a Jr high kid, I wont miss that.

The guy rotated his hips, ripped his wrist threw when he was pitched “way inside”…I’d personally move him right on top of the plate to see how he handled it…he’ll never make it status quo…but he may surprise power wise on top of that plate…his swing is really good in that situation (surprises me too)

by Dan Jenkins on Dec 13, 2010 6:03 PM EST up reply actions

He’d probably want to sign a minor league pact anywhere but here.

I trend to think he won’t get a major league contract at this point. He’s been exposed as a no-power, fundamental mess, and I don’t think FOs take UZR as gospel.

by Adam Reynolds on Dec 13, 2010 8:27 PM EST via mobile up reply actions

i hope they dont, and im an athiest

by white angus on Dec 13, 2010 9:50 PM EST up reply actions

I would like to see him at Indy next year

by BigB2323 on Dec 13, 2010 8:04 PM EST reply actions

You have got to be kidding me!!

~~We’re defending this??!! This is the kind of immature,~~

Wait a second here….. It’s only a 5-0 game in the bottom of the 5th (according to the on-screen graphics). One of the runners who scored is pointing out at Lastings like he just deposed Hugo Chavez. The two runners who scored are head-slapping each other all the way to the dugout. AND LASTING’S innocent little motion, which appears to be directed to his own dugout, triggers a brawl???

Even if directed toward the other team’s dugout – which I don’t think it was, but even if – it was so late that it suggests Lastings was reacting to something yelled out at him, other than trying to pull face on the other team.

Seems hard to fault Lastings on this one.

Why don't you knock it off with them negative vibes?!

by Trogluddite on Dec 13, 2010 9:46 PM EST reply actions

Who's faulting Edge?

Free your ass and your mind will follow.

by cocktailsfor2 on Dec 13, 2010 11:12 PM EST up reply actions

everyone who blames Edge for the pirate problems

by white angus on Dec 13, 2010 11:31 PM EST up reply actions

Oh, technicalities

The write-ups linked above appeared to “edge toward” laying blame on ’Edge. True enough, no one here seemed to be blaming him. I believe one of the articles suggested that this would make it harder f/Lastings to get an MLB signing next year, suggesting that somehow he caused this.

Why don't you knock it off with them negative vibes?!

by Trogluddite on Dec 13, 2010 11:41 PM EST up reply actions